New Beginnings and Endings
by dragonwings948
Summary: The Meta-Crisis Doctor and Rose struggle to adapt to life with each other, but it doesn't take long for trouble to find them... First installment in the Doctor WhoToo series. :) Copyright to the BBC and all that.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a story I wrote for one of my best friends as her graduation present. She was the one who got me into Doctor Who and made me the crazy obsessed fan that I am now. And because of her, I was also crazy enough to start writing fan fiction, and this is the first one I've written. Thank you, Hannah! :)**

_"I have always loved you, and I always will."_

_ Rose almost couldn't believe her ears. The Doctor had always shown affection toward her in other things he had said and done, but this was the first verbal confirmation. Clone or not, he was surely the Doctor, the man she loved. _

_ She looked up into his eyes, full of love. And for once, Rose knew it was all for her. She reached for his shirt collar, tugged him forward, and kissed him. After a moment she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he held her in a tight embrace, pressing her close to him. She could feel his single heart drumming at a rapid pace, almost matching her own frantic heartbeat. _

_ The kiss seemed to be suspended in time. The beach disappeared; the wind, the waves, the blue sky. If they had been standing on a cloud, Rose wouldn't have noticed. Nothing could ruin the perfect moment..._

Creak.

_ In one moment, Rose's delusion shattered. With a gasp, she broke away from the Meta-Crisis Doctor and spun around. The TARDIS made its distinguishable transporting sound, and began to fade. Rose ran after it, but it was too late. In another second, the TARDIS was gone. _

_ She bit her lip and tried to take steady breaths, but nothing could shut out the cruel reality now. One tear tracked down her cheek, and then another. A hand grasped hers in a tight hold, and Rose looked up to lock gazes with the Doctor...but he wasn't _her_ Doctor. _

_ Rose looked back to where the TARDIS had been, willing it to somehow reappear. "He didn't even say goodbye," she murmured to herself. "After all we've been through..." _

_ "I'm here." The Meta-Crisis Doctor pressed her hand. _

_ Rose squeezed her eyes shut. It was too much; he looked the same, talked the same, acted the same...but he wasn't the Doctor. He could never be the Doctor. "It's not the same." She hadn't meant to say it out loud, but it came out in an accusing tone. "You're not him." _

_ "Rose," he said in an even tone, "look at me." _

_ She obeyed and looked straight into his timeless eyes. She could see the same passion that had driven him to travel the universe for his whole life. She could still see the sadness of hundreds of years past; everything he had lost, all the dear costs he had paid. _

_ But it was all a lie. The emotions, however real they seemed, were only cheap copies of the originals. The Doctor would always be the Doctor, and he was far away in another universe by now. _

_ After a minute, Rose looked down. Tears welled up in her eyes again. "You can never be him." _

**July 2008**

Rose's eyelids fluttered open, and memories presented themselves in her mind as a jumbled mess. She had really crossed over into the universe, believing that she and the Doctor would go back to their old life of traveling and just being with each other. Then he had left her with nothing but a copy of himself, a living and breathing mockery of the life she had almost had.

Her heart sank. In the midst of sleep it had all been just a dream, the promise that it would fade as soon as she awoke easing her heart. Now her mind confirmed that it had all happened, that her life had been ruined yet again by the same man.

Rose rolled over in her bed, stretching out her arms and legs. On the small table beside her sat a clear vase filled with an array of different flowers, their pleasant aroma making her smile. It reminded her of the time the Doctor had brought her to a planet that was completely covered with fields of flowers, and he had picked a bouquet for fun and kept it in the TARDIS for the longest time...

She sighed. How long could she live like this? Every memory was poison, sucking a little more happiness out of her life every time. And now that the Meta-Crisis Doctor was stuck here with her, the poison would only become more potent. She thought she had healed from the first time the Doctor had left her, but now every old wound was left open and exposed.

A knock sounded on Rose's door. "Come in," she said with a yawn.

The door opened a small crack, and the Meta-Crisis Doctor's head poked in, his hair in disarray. He looked at her, smiled, and then pushed open the door. A long tray covered with various food items, as well as a mug with a spoon sticking out from the top, was spread across his arms. He wore long, blue pyjamas which Rose knew belonged to her dad. She couldn't help but smile and even let out a short giggle.

"What?" he asked as he stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm not used to seeing you in different clothes."

"Well, I'm human now. Have to dress in _human _clothes and do normal _human _things..." He spread out his arms, gesturing to the tray on his lap with a large grin still spread on his face. "Like make breakfast."

Rose sat up and stretched, wishing he would leave. She still had to decide what she was going to say to him; he couldn't stay. It was too painful. But he had done nothing wrong; he had been created on accident with no say in the matter.

In that moment's decision, Rose decided to play along for the time being. She had gone through too much pain in the past two days to be able to cope with hurting the Meta-Crisis Doctor. Even if he wasn't the real Doctor, he was too much like him.

"Look at you, being human. I didn't think it was possible," said Rose with a smile. She rubbed her eyes, clearing away the last blurriness of sleep, and yawned again. Her mind replayed the events of the past few days in a fast rewind. It was hard to believe that she had left this universe and come back to it within such a short span of time. So much had happened, but now all the ends were tied up...except for one.

"Donna," Rose murmured, voicing her realization.

The Meta-Crisis Doctor's piercing gaze fixed on her. "What about her?"

"The way the Doctor looked at her on the beach...I've seen it before. It's when he knows he's going to lose something."

His whole countenance fell, giving him a defeated look. His gaze swept downward and focused on the still untouched tray of breakfast. "A human and time lord meta-crisis isn't possible," he stated in a low voice as he gave the mug of tea a stir. "Human minds aren't meant to contain nine-hundred years of knowledge and emotion."

"Just like they aren't meant to contain the time vortex?"

One corner of his mouth lifted upward, and he looked back up at her. "In a way." A frown replaced the smile again. "But this is more than that – the meta-crisis rewrote her DNA to be part time lord, just like it rewrote mine to be part human. He can't fix it like he did with you."

"Then it's hopeless?"

"No. He can do one thing." The Meta-Crisis Doctor stared at the wall, almost like he was in a daze. "He'll have to take away every memory she has of him, the TARDIS, time travel, everything. Otherwise...her mind will burn itself up."

Rose almost asked if he had planned on doing it, but stopped herself. Of course he would. It was probably already done now, and the Doctor was on his own again while everyone else went on with their happy lives...

"I'm sorry," she murmured, though it was more a thought cast to the real Doctor than to the one right in front of her.

The Meta-Crisis Doctor looked at her again, his eyes softer. He smiled and rested one of his hands on top of hers. "At least I'll never have to lose anyone again."

Rose managed to smile back, but on the inside she was warring with herself. She had to tell him how she really felt. She couldn't pretend, for her sake and his. But that smile, and those eyes...she couldn't destroy that happiness now; not after he had just lost Donna. It could wait.

"So, what is it that humans do every day?"

"Well, they work..."

"Work?" The Meta-Crisis Doctor lurched back, as if repulsed. "In a shop like you used to?"

"Yes," laughed Rose, tickled by his reaction. It was so easy to forget that he wasn't really the Doctor. "Unless you want to live off Mum your whole life."

His eyes grew wide. "Can't have that, can we?" He turned to face her and sat cross legged on the bed, his elbows resting on his knees. "What else?" He settled his chin on his fists and leaned forward, as if wanting to pay close attention.

"I don't know; I go shopping-"

"Shopping!" He smiled and rocked backward. "You know, I've never really been shopping on Earth."

"We can do that. You're going to need some new clothes, anyway."

"What about my suit?" He almost looked injured, like she had insulted him.

"You can't wear it every day!"

"Why not?"

Rose leaned forward and tried to mimic his voice. "Because that's _not _what humans do every day."

"Sure they do. I see businessmen walk down the streets day after day with the same suit on."

"It's not the same one. They have different ones that look similar. Besides, I thought you said you didn't want to work."

"If I did."

"They don't wear those suits when they're not working."

"All right, I'll get another suit." He raised his eyebrows in question. "Did you get sassier while you were here?"

"Oi! I could say the same for you!"

"Me? No..." His expression changed to one of seriousness. "What _did_ you do here?"

Rose thought back through the blur of the years she had spent in this universe without the Doctor. Really all she remembered were the sleepless nights, the replayed memories, and working on a way to get back to him. "Well, I mostly tried to find a way to get back to the other universe. Life wasn't right without the Doctor."

"Doctors are very important," he agreed with a jocular smile. He bounced off of the bed and landed on his feet, a muted thud coming from the impact on the carpet. "All right, then. I'll get dressed, you'll eat breakfast and get ready, and then we'll go shopping. A new adventure; living as a human in another universe." He leaned against the door frame and smiled at her. "And I get to live it with my favorite person in all of space and time. Isn't it brilliant?"

"Yes," Rose affirmed. The Meta-Crisis Doctor winked at her and then turned down the hallway. "Yes," she repeated to herself with a sigh. "Yes it is."


	2. Chapter 2

**June 2009**

Rose tensed at a knock on her door. "Come in," she called as she slipped on her shoes. She watched as Mum walked in with a serious air, still in her nightgown.

"Off to work?" she asked.

Rose nodded as she grabbed her purse from its resting place on her dresser. Whatever Mum had on her mind, it would come out soon enough.

"I just wanted to make sure everything was all right...between you and the Doctor I mean."

Rose flinched internally, but didn't let her surprise show on the outside. Was it getting more obvious? "Yeah, why?"

"It all just seems a little wrong. Every time I mention you two getting a place of your own, you change the subject. And you seem annoyed when he's around."

"It's nothing, Mum," said Rose as she took her mobile phone from her bedside table and pushed it into her pocket. "We're fine. I just have a lot of stuff on my mind."

She stared at Rose with a probing gaze, searching. It was easy for Rose to put up a front; she had done it for a little under a year now. Only she could understand the pain she felt inside, the hole where her heart used to be.

Finally, Mum nodded. "All right, sweetheart, if you say so." She still seemed unsure, but she exited the room without another word and shut the door behind her.

The Doctor stepped out into the hallway from his room with a yawn. His stomach grumbled, begging to be nourished. However, food could wait. He still hadn't seen Rose this morning.

He walked a few steps down the hall to the next door, and put his hand on the doorknob. Before he could twist it and open the door, the Doctor heard a phone ringing from inside. He heard Rose answer it, and let go of the doorknob. He would see her downstairs in a few minutes anyway.

"It's functional?"

Rose's words caught the Doctor's attention. He paused, his hand resting on the stair rail.

"I was just about to come down there anyway. I'll be there in about half an hour to test it." Rose hesitated and said the next phrases in a lower tone. "Do you really think it will cross to the other universe?"

The Doctor's hand tightened on the rail. A sinking feeling settled in his stomach, chasing away the hunger. He gritted his teeth and shook his head. "Stupid," he muttered to himself. "Stupid, stupid."

He turned back toward the door as he heard Rose say goodbye. He could feel so many emotions boiling inside of him; rage, sorrow...and still love. It was impossible to get rid of, as if his promise had physically made him incapable of suppressing the feeling.

The Doctor pushed open the door without even a knock, Rose's startled countenance greeting his sight. He stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say. Everything was so jumbled together in his head. "I heard," was all he managed to push out at last.

"What?" asked Rose. Her eyebrows were raised in confusion, but behind the look the Doctor could see in her eyes that she knew.

"I heard you talking on the phone." The Doctor took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "You've been working on that portal this whole time, haven't you? You've been trying to go back, and you never even told me."

Rose stared at him with her mouth open for a moment. Finally she frowned and looked down, avoiding his gaze. She stayed silent.

The Doctor looked up and ran a hand through his hair. He let out a short, sarcastic bark of a laugh. "That whole time, you were pretending. I thought I saw a change in you, but I dismissed it because I never believed you would do that." He paused, waiting for her eyes to meet his. "Rose." There was anger in his voice that he had never used toward her before. Her head snapped up. "Why?"

Her voice was broken and soft, and tears welled up in her eyes as she continued to look straight into his eyes. "I still love him." She turned away again, her eyes focusing on a point to the side.

The rage inside of the Doctor flared. He clenched his fists at his sides and strode forward until he was only a step away from her. "Rose, look at me." She obeyed, tears running down her cheeks. "Look into my eyes, and tell me who I am."

Her eyes searched his for a few moments, but she only shook her head and looked down again. "The Meta-Crisis Doctor. You're not the Doctor."

The Doctor could only stare at her in disbelief. The blatant rejection stung, more than anything else. His vision blurred, but he fought against the tears. As he spoke, his jaw remained taught. "Was there even one moment when you loved me?"

"I loved you because you were like him. I can't forget about him, no matter how much you're like him. It will never be the same."

The Doctor felt as if she had just ripped his heart out. He had given all of his love, and in return, a cheap masquerade. "Rose Tyler." Her name came out almost as a sob, and the Doctor swallowed to try to clear the lump from his throat. "I thought I would grow old with you. I thought we would love each other for the rest of our lives..." He stopped himself. If he said any more, he knew he would break down.

Rose looked up at him again, sobs rocking her body. She bit her lip, though tears still streamed down her face. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it and shook her head.

The Doctor could think of nothing more to say. He almost felt sorry leaving her in such a state, but his own heart was in such poor shape from her emotional beatings that he didn't care enough. With one last sigh he turned, hurried down the stairs, and walked out of the door to the mansion, leaving it wide open.

And he never looked back.


	3. Chapter 3

**September 2012**

"Ready in three...two...one."

Rose steeled herself, ready for any kind of feeling. She watched as a spark popped from one of the thick, black cords, but no other reaction followed. She sighed and knelt by the broken cord, squinting at the split wires inside. "It's still not strong enough to contain the energy," she announced.

"I'm sorry, Rose." Melissa walked over and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Rose shook her head. She had heard those consoling words too many times. Would the portal ever really work? "It's all right. We'll try again tomorrow."

"We can put the generator on full power and try again tonight if you'd like," Melissa offered with a smile, her ivory teeth standing out against her dark skin.

"I don't want to work the generator too hard; it's the only one we've got. Besides, everyone else is already gone. You need rest too, Melissa."

"So do you." Melissa offered Rose a hand, which she took, and pulled her up onto her feet. "I can tell you haven't been sleeping lately."

"I can't," Rose sighed. "Too many things on my mind. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine."

Melissa looked at her seriously. "Try to get some sleep, okay? We'll get the portal working."

"I will." Rose offered an encouraging smile, but sighed as Melissa turned and walked out of the room.

Rose unhooked one end of the broken cord from the portal platform, and the other from the generator. She threw the unusable piece to the edge of the room, and grabbed a new cord, almost as thick as her arm. She attached it to the proper places, and then flipped on the generator switch. It would take about twelve hours for it to be ready to try another portal, unless she strained it like Melissa had suggested.

As she grabbed her purse and slung her sweater over her arm, Rose thought she heard a high-pitched scream from the direction of the stairwell. She hurried to the door and looked up. "Melissa?" she called. The only answer was the echo of her own voice, resounding throughout the stairwell.

Rose unzipped her purse and pulled out the handgun which she had always carried in this universe, due to her several encounters with aliens in the past. With shaking breaths she ascended the stairs, taking one step at a time. She held the gun with both hands, pointing it directly in front of her.

"I'm armed," Rose called, "and if you've done anything to my friend-"

"Rose Tyler," a voice hissed.

Rose blinked and shook her head. Was it just her, or had that voice spoken inside her head? How did it know her name? Was she finally losing it?

"Who – who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling. There was something about that voice that made the very core of her being tremble, and yet her mind had not yet comprehended what it was.

_You know us,_ the voice claimed, again inside her mind. It was so familiar, but yet just different enough to not be recognized.

"What did you do to Melissa?" She spun around, trying to find the source of the voice, if there was one. No kind of being was in sight, and no footsteps could be heard.

_She was not needed. She was exterminated. _

Rose could have sworn that her heart stopped beating in that moment. Every piece fell into place, and the voice was identified. Her first instinct was to run, and she did, down the steps and back through the basement door. She slammed it shut behind her and turned the lock, running to the other end of the room as soon as she had.

Her heart racing, Rose leaned against the furthermost wall and gripped the gun in her hands until her knuckles were white. "Think," she mumbled to herself. "Why did it sound different? How was it talking inside my head?"

_Us. _It had said _us. _There was more than one, and all she had was a handgun.

Rose pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through the contacts. Who could she call? She didn't want Mum to get involved, or Dad. The police would be no help...

Then it dawned on her. No one could be of any help. These were _Daleks, _and the only two people she had seen stand up to them were herself and...

But the thought was stopped in its tracks as something banged against the door. Rose dropped the phone and held the gun up again, though she knew it would not hinder the aliens at all.

The door turned a light blue color, sizzled, and then flew out of its frame. Rose jumped to the side just to avoid being squashed by the tremendous piece of metal, her sweater falling to the ground. Still, she kept her eyes glued to the empty door frame.

Rose sighed with relief as she watched. Though any kind of alien that killed without a thought was bad news, anything was better than a Dalek.

An off-white, squid-like alien hovered through the hole in the wall, none of its tentacles touching the ground. Its eyes were round and a piercing electric blue, and the top of its head drooped behind itself. On one of its nine tentacles, Rose spotted a small black object attached to the middle, but they were still too far away to distinguish exactly what it was. More followed the first one in until there were five of the squids floating toward her.

"What are you?" demanded Rose, her voice strong though she felt weak and scared inside. She pointed the gun at the lead alien, her finger on the trigger.

_You know us, Rose Tyler,_ the leader, she guessed, said again. The voice resounded all throughout her head.

"I don't. And how can you get in my head?"

The leader finally halted just a few steps in front of her. The top of its jelly-like head that was visible scrunched together, which Rose took as a sign of confusion, since it had no eyebrows. _I am confused. She does not seem to know us. Are you Rose Tyler, constant companion and mate of the Doctor?_

"What?" Besides the odd question, Rose was still working everything out in her head. It said that it was confused, which meant that it had emotions...

The squid reached one of its tentacles over to touch the black box which was strapped onto another one of its extremities. After a moment, a voice that was unmistakably the Doctor's, apart from the hint of a Scottish accent, came through loud and clear.

"Hello. I'm the Doctor, and this is my wife Rose Tyler. If you even think about harming her, you will wish you had never born before you can say 'Dalek.'"

Rose wondered at what seemed to be a recording. Where had that come from? How could these creatures have gotten a hold on it? Why would the Doctor call her his wife?

_May I offer advice, O King?_

The apparent King turned to face another squid, and wagged the top of its body up and down like a nod, which made the sagging top of its head jiggle. _Explain._

_The Doctor has a machine that travels in time. Perhaps we have met Rose Tyler, but she has not yet met us._

_Excellent observation._ The King turned back toward Rose. _Is this true?_

"I don't travel with the Doctor anymore. I did in another universe, but that was a long time ago."

_Another universe? Explain._

The King drifted closer, and Rose held the gun steady as she spoke. "This universe is the parallel of another, the one where I came from."

There was murmuring in her head, like all the squids were talking at once. They closed in around Rose, as if examining her. She backed up against the wall, but it barely widened the distance between herself and the aliens. "Who are you?" Rose asked again.

_We are the Khals,_ the King responded.


	4. Chapter 4

Rose studied them intently, looking for any type of connection to the Daleks. After a few moments of observation, it was obvious. Those eyes were so familiar, and even the form of its body. These were like large forms of the aliens that controlled the robot bodies. These were Daleks without the suit of armor and without all of their emotions drained out of them. Whether that was good or bad, Rose didn't know yet.

_May I observe, O King?_ asked a different Khal than the one who had spoken before.

_Observe._ The King continued to stare at Rose like she was some kind of specimen.

_If this is taking place before the Doctor destroys our race, can we not exterminate him and stop our race from being destroyed?_

Excited shouts and murmurs came from all of the Khals. _Yes,_ they all hissed with delight.

_But how to get to him?_ voiced another Khal.

All of their gazes locked on Rose. Her arms were sore from staying so tense, but she kept the gun in its place. The King raised a tentacle and knocked it out of her hand, sending it cannoning into the wall.

_Where is the Doctor?_ it asked, pointing the tentacle with the black wristband at her.

"I already told you; the Doctor is in another universe."

The King's tentacle shot out, too fast to evade, and encircled Rose's arm. She shouted, and tried to pull out of its grasp, but its hold was tight, and only got tighter.

_You are lying. Where is the Doctor?_

"The Doctor lives in the other universe!" As soon as her sentence was finished, a shock coursed throughout Rose's body, rendering her limbs useless. She collapsed onto the ground, black spots dotting her vision.

The King's tentacle continued to constrict her arm in a vice-like grip. _You will tell me where he is!_

Rose's mind was still so scrambled that she didn't know how to answer even if she had wanted to. A series of pulses radiated from her arm to the rest of her body, sending waves of terrible pain. She bit back a scream, and struggled to be freed from the Khal's grip.

The King lowered its head and made its eyes level with hers. It uttered each word distinctly. _Where is the Doctor?_

Though Rose gasped for air, she still felt like her lungs couldn't get enough. "There is a version of him here, a copy of him. I knew him over three years ago, but I don't know where he is now," she panted.

The slimy tentacle receded from her arm. Rose reached over to rub her forearm, but as she touched it, it stung like a burn. She felt tears running down her cheeks, but didn't bother to wipe them away. It didn't matter.

_Rose Tyler is telling the truth,_ the King announced. _It seems we have no way of finding the Doctor._

_Her mobile device,_ one of the Khals offered, pointing a tentacle to Rose's dropped phone.

_Pick it up,_ the King ordered.

Rose reached forward and scooped it up in her hand, finding no damage besides a cracked screen.

_Call him._

With trembling fingers, Rose found the Doctor in her contacts and clicked on the "call" button. She lifted the phone up to her ear, half-hoping he would pick up. The only person who could save her now was the Meta-Crisis Doctor. Yet, her call to him could be his death...

The phone rang several times, and then went straight to an automated voicemail. After the beep, Rose took a deep breath. "Doctor, I need you. I'm in trouble; the world is in trouble. You're the only one who can save us. Please," she added in a whisper. Before she could hang up, the King shot a tentacle at her neck, and waves of crippling pain consumed her body. A scream came unbidden from her mouth, and at the same moment the phone exploded into a million pieces in her hand.

_More incentive._

Rose glared at the King. This was crueler than the Daleks; the robots just killed everything in sight. These parallel versions tortured their victims first, and then probably killed them all the same.

Her only hope now was in the Meta-Crisis Doctor.


	5. Chapter 5

John Smith sighed as he entered his flat. After shutting the door behind him, he threw his keys on the lone table next to the kitchen. He scanned the room, searching.

"Ah," he said, smiling to himself as he spotted the slim, black mobile phone about to slip in between the couch cushions. He picked it up, flipped it in the air, and caught it right side up in his hand. "Work was lonely without you."

He turned the phone on, unlocked it, and saw that he had a few missed calls. As he scrolled down, he murmured the names to himself. "Work, Davis..." He stared dumbfounded at the next name, reading it over several times before he was convinced that his eyes weren't tricking him.

"Rose?" John continued to stare at the phone, a million thoughts and memories rushing through his head at once. "Rose? Why?"

_I still love him. _

John pushed the memory from his mind, his thumb hovering over the delete button. Yet, his heart dared to hope. Was it a plea for him to come back? Was it an apology?

Finally, he turned off the screen. No. Not after three years. She would have done that ages ago.

John set the mobile down on the table next to the keys and unbuttoned his jacket. He threw it on one of the couches, and slumped into the other. He let another sigh escape through his lips as he picked up a remote and turned on the telly.

Yet, as he tried to focus on the news, his mind continued to return to the phone message. What did Rose Tyler want with him now? She had already beaten his heart to a pulp – what more could she need?

After minutes of struggle that seemed like hours, John shut off the telly. He got up, grabbed his phone, and went straight to his messages. After taking a deep breath, he turned the sound on speaker, and listened with his eyes closed.

"Doctor." Goosebumps ran up John's arm. He hadn't been called by that name in a long time. "I need you." He took note of Rose's labored breaths, as if she were exhausted or in pain. "I'm in trouble; the world is in trouble. You're the only one who can save us." Her voice trembled, and broke on the last word. "Please."

Next, John heard a whoosh. After another moment, Rose screamed, the sound piercing straight through his heart. However, it was cut short, and John was left with his heart beating faster than it ever had before. He opened his eyes and looked at the time of the message. 5:32 AM. Though he didn't hope too much for an answer, he phoned her back. It went straight to voicemail.

"Of all days to forget to bring your phone to work," he said as he slung his jacket on. He stuffed his phone in his pocket and scooped up his keys with his other hand. He swung open the door, took a step outside, and then froze.

"Stupid! 'England isn't big enough?'" he mocked himself as he turned around and slammed the door closed. "Now look at what you've done."

John ran to his bedroom and turned on his laptop, every movement made in haste. It seemed as if the computer had never been slower, and he drummed his fingers on his bed impatiently, waiting for the main screen to appear. After an eternity, John was able to click on the browser, and he searched for the next flight to London.

"Seven fifteen." John glanced at the time at the bottom of the screen and nodded. "I can make it in half an hour." He shut down his laptop and ran across the flat again, making sure he had his phone and his keys before shutting the door.

Too impatient to take the lift, John took the stairs down to the ground floor the building. He received several odd looks as he pushed past everyone else on his way out the doors, but it didn't matter. He continued to run all the way to the curb, where his black sports car waited in its special parking spot. John unlocked it with the clicker and slid into his seat, thrusting the key into the ignition. With a quiet purr the engine came to life, and John closed the door. After one last mental check of everything he needed, he raced off down the road.

As he drove, the thought occurred to John that he had no idea where Rose was. She could be anywhere – for all he knew, she might not even be in London. He continued on nontheless, racking his brains for some sort of way to locate her.

Still watching the road, John pulled his mobile from his pocket. He unlocked it and held down the home button. Two beeps sounded, and John sighed before he spoke. "Call Jackie Tyler."

"Calling Jackie Tyler."

John held the phone up to his ear, desperately hoping that she would pick up, and yet dreading the conversation to follow. What was his explanation? Why was he calling after three years of absence?

"Hello..?"

John sighed with relief as he heard the voice on the other line, though it sounded confused. He coughed, recalling his former accent. The Scottish in his voice would only complicate matters. "Hello, Jackie. I need to ask you-"

"Why are _you _calling me?" She sounded accusing, and still confused.

"I need to know where Rose is."

"Why?"

John huffed. "I want to see her," he said, though he had no idea where the words came from. "I want to talk to her about what happened."

"Yeah? Well you should have done that three years ago."

"I know," he responded, surprised at his own fabrication. Could it be because his words weren't really false? "I should have. But I want to make it right now. Can you please help me?"

There was a pause on the other side. John grew even more impatient as he pulled into the Glasgow Airport. Finally, Jackie spoke again. "The last time I saw her was last night around five. Sometimes she works for days on that portal before coming home."

John shook his head. Rose never gave up. "Where?"

"Saint John's Hospital in London. It's abandoned; they use the basement."

John hesitated before saying another word. Should he alert Jackie? Yet, even if he did, how could she stop whoever...or whatever...had Rose from killing her? No. She could do nothing.

"Thank you, Jackie." John drove into the parking garage and up to a little booth. A stocky man poked his head out, but John barely glanced at him. He pulled his work ID out of his jacket pocket and flashed it in front of the man. He nodded, and the levers in front of John's car lifted.

"You know, she was heartbroken after you left."

As if by some miracle, one of the very first parking spaces was vacant. John pulled into it and leaped out of the car, using the clicker on his key ring to lock it as he hurried through the dark garage.

"Really?" he asked, not having to feign surprise. "She seemed eager to get rid of me." John shook his head. Why was he telling all of this to Jackie?

"She wasn't really."

John doubted that Jackie knew exactly what had transpired between him and Rose. He sighed as he ran through the garage, his lungs begging for air. "I have to go, Jackie," he panted. He pulled the phone from his ear and glanced at the time. Seven o' clock. "I'm going to be late for my flight."

"Goodbye, dear," she said. "Please try to reason with Rose. She needs you; she just hasn't realized it yet."

He clicked the "end" button and placed his mobile back in his pocket. "If only she was right," he murmured.


	6. Chapter 6

Rose sat in agonizing silence, wondering what the Khals were talking about in their minds. They had been grouped in a huddle for hours, ignoring her existence altogether. Well, that was, until she had tried to escape.

She sighed at the sight of her burnt calf. Any attempt to leave was futile; she would either be burned or bloodied.

Rose turned her hands over and winced at the sight of her injured palms. The sight was a mix of loose dirt, small gravel from the floor, and dried blood. Not only did they look terrible, but they burned from stopping her skid across the ground after the King had shocked and tripped her.

Finally, the aliens separated and formed an arc around Rose. She stood up, her eyes level with the King's, and stared the Khal down.

_Rose Tyler, it seems that the Doctor has abandoned you. We were witnesses to the Doctor's claims that you saved his life, but I realize that it is in your future. Therefore, you will be exterminated, thereby exterminating the Doctor, and preventing him from ever meeting our race. We will find another to work the portal. _

"The portal?" It had never occurred to Rose to ask what the Khals had been after in the first place. "Why do you want the portal?"

_We have our reasons, Rose Tyler._ The King shot one of its tentacles forward, enclosing it around Rose's neck.

The tentacle continued to constrict tighter, and Rose gasped for breath, grasping at the slimy arm with her hands. All of a sudden the first jolt of a shock came, more powerful than any before. She collapsed onto the ground, the King's hold not letting up one bit.

Above the ringing in her ears, Rose could just hear the sound of the Khals' gurgling laughter. _And so dies Rose Tyler, faithful companion of the Doctor._

"Oi!"

Rose's heart soared at the sound of the voice, the sound she had wished to hear more than anything else during her short imprisonment. At the same moment, the King's tentacle eased off of her neck. Rose coughed and tried to gasp to fill her lungs at the same time, the air tasting sweeter than it ever had.

Through her speckled view Rose could see the Khals all turned toward the doorway, their backs to her. The voice of her savior continued, just a little bit different than she remembered it. "Hello. I'm the Doctor," he said, the inflections tinged with a Scottish accent. Though Rose couldn't see him through the wall of Khals, she could imagine the look on his face.

_It is the Doctor!_ the King exclaimed.

"That's right. And since you know me, you'll know that I'm very serious about what happens to my friends." A darker tone crept into his voice. "Now move to the side and let me see Rose."

Rose tried to keep her eyes open, but her slipping consciousness, along with prolonged drowsiness, were weighing her down. She still couldn't feel anything attached to her body; her arms and legs could have been missing altogether for all she knew.

_We do not move under command of the Doctor!_

"Then you give me no choice."

For a moment, Rose thought her resolve had failed and she had passed out, because the world went dark. However, she realized that she could still blink, and after a moment she could tell she was lifted off of the ground by a whoosh of air. She heard a voice croak with relief, "You're alive." Something cool and slightly moist press against her forehead, and a feeling of fear settled in the pit of her stomach. In the next moment it was gone, and she realized that the smell that enveloped her was clean and slightly sweet; nothing like a Khal.

The next thing Rose knew was her back was against a hard surface again. "Rose," the Doctor called in a soft voice. "Rose, are you all right?"

Something flashed, and Rose opened her eyes to harsh light. She raised her hand, which seemed to weigh a ton, to shield her eyes, but she gave up as her head began to spin. Her arm flopped limp to her side again, and she closed her eyes with a groan.

"Don't move. You're still regaining consciousness." There was a pause, and Rose felt cool fingertips glide over one of her palms. "What did they do to you?" he murmured, a rageful edge to his voice. "So many burns..."

Rose opened her eyes to the Doctor's face, his eyes wide and examining, his mouth in a hard line. He looked the same as he always had, apart from the dark stubble of a full beard. He was even wearing his blue suit, complete with a red tie.

His eyes shifted downwards, and then bounced back up to meet her gaze. "Can you breathe alright?"

Rose took in a huge drought of air and nodded. "Now I can."

"What about your legs? Can you feel them?" He looked like he cared about her current state, but there was an odd expression in his eyes; a sort of separation that made him feel distant.

"No."

His expression darkened. The Doctor glanced down at something in his hands; a small black box that looked very familiar. His eyebrows bent down, and he sighed.

"Is that-?" began Rose.

"Yes. I thought it might be useful, which it turned out to be. It shows me where those aliens are. All but one." He raised his hand, his reddened palm facing her, and wiggled his fingers. "They can send a shock, can't they?"

"Tell me about it."

For the first time since she had regained consciousness, Rose took the time to examine where she was. Her upper body was against a wall, but her legs, which were stretched out, were almost exactly the width of the room. The Doctor sat next to her with his knees pulled up halfway to his chest, and there might have been room enough for just one more person in the same position on the other side of her. The white walls were blank, apart from the brass doorknob which jutted out of the monotony of the color.

Before Rose could ask where they were, the Doctor looked at her with a frown and spoke. "I'm sorry I came when I did. They almost killed you, didn't they? And they almost tortured you to death before that."

Rose could see that his jaw was taught. Anger burned in his eyes. "It wasn't your fault they came." Why did he always take everything out on himself? "Where are we?" she asked to try to shift his thoughts elsewhere.

"I don't know exactly. Some kind of closet. I just wanted to find a small place to hide while I made sure you were all right." He glanced down at the black watch-like object he had stolen from the Khals and then looked back up at her. "Can you feel your legs yet?"

Rose glared at her feet, as if willing them to move. Then she turned to concentrating on just wiggling her toes. After a few moments, she could feel them move back and forth as one. Pain shot up her legs, and she winced and huffed.

"Pain?" asked the Doctor simply. Rose nodded. "Good," he said, jumping up on his feet. "Feeling is good." He held out his hand to her, but Rose only stared at it in question.

"You expect me to walk?"

"It will be faster than me carrying you again. If you can feel anything, you should be able to walk soon."

Rose took his offered hand, though she was only able to support a small amount of her own weight. However, he pulled her up with ease, clamping his hands on the top of her arms to steady her. She managed to scoot one foot forward, trying to ignore the pain that it took. As she attempted to lift up her other foot, her legs gave out, and she grabbed onto the Doctor's shoulders. He caught her in his arms anyway, supporting her back so that she could pull herself up.

The Doctor sighed and looked down. "We're out of time. Come on, then." He scooped Rose up in his arms before she could say a word, turned out the light, and opened the door.


	7. Chapter 7

The bouncing gait of the Doctor's sprint jostled Rose as he ran down a dark hallway. Rose could feel the Doctor avoiding obstacles and turning down hallways that she couldn't see until they were right next to them, though there were no lights to give off any sort of luminance.

"How can you see?" Rose whispered, feeling that the volume was appropriate.

"Part time lord," he reminded her in the same hushed tone. He paused a moment. "Did you find out what the aliens want?"

"They were talking about the portal."

"Ah, the portal. Of course. That much energy would draw any alien from miles away. The question is, how did they get here in the first place?"

"And how do we get rid of them."

"How do we negotiate with them," he corrected her.

"Oi! You're the one who destroyed all the Daleks!"

"Oi! Don't pretend like you didn't do it first."

Though his expression was hard to read in such darkness, Rose could see the ghost of a smile on the Doctor's face. Of course, his confidence was never shaken, even if there was no way right now to make the Khals leave...

"I have an idea," Rose stated, the idea exciting her. "The portal has a setting where it absorbs every life form in front of it. If we could gather the Khals in front of the portal..."

"Kahls..." he murmured, as if he was testing the name. "We could transport them to the other universe. Does the portal work?"

"It needs a bigger energy source, but if it has that it should work."

"I'll think about that one. Ah, here we are." The Doctor pushed open a door, and Rose felt a cool breeze blow over her. A couple cars drove by at a slow pace, while the full moon watched over it all, its glow being the only light that Rose could see as she examined the scene. On the side of the road was parked only one car; hers.

The Doctor set her down on her feet, still holding on to her shoulders for stabilization. It was easier this time for Rose to take one step forward, and then another, until after a minute or two she could walk slowly without too much pain.

"Are you all right, then?" asked the Doctor in a quiet voice, releasing his hold on her.

"I'll be fine in a few minutes."

"Good." He put his hands in his pockets and nodded. "Then it's time for you to go."

"Go?" asked Rose, utterly confused. "Go where?"

"Home. I'll take care of the Khals; I won't let them out of this building. Everyone will be safe."

"I'm coming with you." Rose crossed her arms and stared him down with a defiant gaze. "The chance of danger never stopped you from letting me come before."

"It's not that." The Doctor's gaze shifted down, as if unable to meet hers. "I want to do it alone."

"What do you mean?"

The Doctor looked up at her, his face set in a hard mask. "I don't want you to come with me, Rose."

It took a long time for Rose to comprehend his words. They had always been uttered in her nightmares, but she never thought she would hear them spoken in reality, even by this Doctor. It was a huge blow.

"All right, then." Rose took a step back from him, and without another word, walked away.

"Hello, Mum," Rose called as she stepped into the house. It seemed so odd to be back home when she had been certain she was never going to leave that building again.

"Did you get it working, dear?" asked Mum from somewhere else in the house.

All the events from the past day played back through Rose's mind in rapid-fire, and Rose barely heard Mum's question. "Hm?"

"The portal." Mum came down the main stairway with Tony trailing behind her, taking one step at a time at a slow pace.

"Rose!" he called in his high-pitched toddler voice, a huge grin spreading across his features.

Rose held her arms open for him as he reached the bottom of the stairs, unable to keep a smile off of her face despite all that had happened. "Hullo, dear!" She hugged him tightly, and looked at Mum over his shoulder. "No, but we're really close."

"Did you meet anyone there?"

Rose stood up straight, wondering at the tone of Mum's voice. "Just my usual mates." A shudder shook her body as she thought about Melissa, gone just a moment after Rose had seen her. Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked hard to push them away. "Why?"

"Just wondering." She yawned and looked down at Tony. "I'm going to put him to bed. Your father's working late tonight."

"All right. I'm going to get some rest."

Rose followed Mum and Tony up the stairs, but turned right instead of left to go into her room. For the first time in three years, all the memories from that one year with the Meta-Crisis Doctor came flooding back as she opened her door. She remembered their first conversation about going shopping, all the times they had talked about the adventures he had had while she had been here, and their last conversation there. The one she regretted more than anything.

She walked in and shut the door behind her, sighing as she collapsed onto her bed. Life without the Doctor had been too monotonous after their crazy adventures; even the Meta-Crisis Doctor would have been better than nothing. For those few minutes, everything had seemed perfect again; the Doctor, imminent danger, aliens...And now he was gone as suddenly as he had come. Normal life would start again.

_No_.

Rose got up from her bed, opened her door, and closed it quietly behind her. She tiptoed down the stairs, muting her steps as she reached the wood floors at the bottom. Her eyes darting around for any sign of Mum, she made her way to the basement. The door creaked as she pushed it open, making Rose wince. She reached along the wall for the light switch, finally finding the jutting lump.

The light made Rose blink several times, but she continued down the short flight of steps, pausing at the bottom. The large space was almost completely empty, apart from the exact things that Rose sought.

She walked across the room to the opposite wall, where a huge gun was leaning with a few similar others. Rose ran her hand over the glossy surface, the weapon bringing back memories of the almost identical one she had left in the other universe.

Rose shook her head, dispelling the thoughts. There was no time to lose now. She threw the strap of the gun over her shoulder, exited the basement, and sneaked out the back door of the mansion. She threw the gun in the backseat of her car, jumped in the driver's seat, and turned on the engine, mentally shushing it. She moved the car at a slow crawl at first but once out of the vicinity of the mansion, Rose sped down the road.


	8. Chapter 8

In a few minutes, Rose reached the deserted hospital. She jumped out, grabbed the gun from the back, and jogged to the door. She paused, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

Rose blinked, trying to adjust to the darkness. It was hard to make out which door and which hallway was which, but the hospital was so familiar by now that Rose made it to the stairwell without too much trouble. She tried to step on the balls of her feet to keep her footsteps quiet, remembering that there was no door to the basement any more. As she continued down the stairs, the voices of one of the Khals penetrated her mind.

_...tell you, Doctor?_

"Because I want to help you," the Doctor said, his voice strained.

_Our ship crashed here,_ the same Khal went on. _We were attracted by the sporadic power surges here, which normally indicate a portal. We are scientists, Doctor, and we want to know what's on the other side. We are also the last of our kind; there is nothing left for us here._

"You just wanted to use the portal? That's all?"

_Yes._

"Then why did you go and just about kill Rose Tyler?"

_We developed a different goal, Doctor. Once we knew that you and your companion were present here, we decided that you must be exterminated._

A strangled cry followed, and it wasn't hard to guess whose voice it was. Rose continued down the stairs, faster now, until she was just above view of the doorway. More detail in sound could be heard now, like a distinct little hum that she knew well. The generator was active. She could also hear the Doctor panting and the Khals chuckling with delight. Just the cruelness of the scene made Rose's stomach turn.

"If you tell me what I've done to you," gasped the Doctor, "maybe I can change it."

Rose tuned out for the next part of the conversation, trying to develop a plan in her head. Could she take down all of the Khals before one of them shot one of their tentacles at her? It was a long shot, but all she could do was try.

She jogged down the rest of the stairs and charged through the doorway, her finger already on the trigger. She tried to push it down and shoot one of the Khals, but she couldn't make herself do it. Memories of the Doctor came to mind, of how he had always given his enemies a chance. Still, they had always come out alive and saved the world time and time again.

_Rose Tyler joins us,_ the King said triumphantly. _It is perfect! The death of the Doctor and his companion. And look, she is even too cowardly to use her weapon._

"Because I don't need it," Rose said, her feet planted next to the portal controls and her chin raised in the air. She stole a glance down at the Doctor. He was lying just behind the portal, his limbs splayed out at awkward angles, and his chest unmoving. "You have angered a time lord, and you know what that means."

The Khals all glanced at each other.

"That's right. You've seen some of it before when you first met the Doctor. Now you'll face it again."

_She is lying! Exterminate her! _

Rose turned to the control board as a shock rippled throughout her body. She turned the appropriate dial, looking back at the generator and hoping it would hold. With her last bit of strength, Rose pushed the button to activate the portal, and then sank to the ground.

A bright light shone out from the other side of the portal, encompassing all of the Khals. After a moment, it was gone, and all that was left was empty space. A spark popped from the portal base, and the whole thing exploded, shooting out random metal pieces. The generator popped, made a sizzling sound, and then stopped.

Rose issued a shaky sigh. They were really gone...and into the other universe. But they were gone from here, and right now, that was all that mattered.

Crawling along the ground, Rose made her way over to the Doctor. She shoved his body over so that his head was up, and felt for a pulse. Nothing. She pressed her ear against his chest, but again, she couldn't hear a heartbeat.

Concentrating solely on the effort, Rose made herself sit up next to the Doctor. She examined him for any sign of life; he had to be alive. The Doctor couldn't die. Not when she had just gotten him back.

"You can't do this," she whispered in a broken voice, tears beginning to fill her eyes. "You can't leave me again. I was wrong, and I realized it the minute you left. Now come back. Please." She took his hand in hers, interlacing their fingers. Spots began to fill her vision, and Rose felt like she had nothing left within her. With one last pleading look at the Doctor, she fell into a deep unconsciousness, her head falling back on the Doctor's chest.


	9. Chapter 9

"She'll be fine, Jackie, I promise."

Rose's head was a swirl of memories that all seemed so distant. The Khals...the Doctor...How long ago had that happened? What had happened to _her_? And whose voice was that?

The Doctor.

Rose opened her eyes, but closed them right afterward. Her head spun at an impossible pace, and the sudden light was too much for her to take in.

"Shouldn't we at least go to a hospital or something?"

"There's nothing they could do that we can't. All she needs is rest, and something to put on those burns."

"I'll be back with something." Footsteps tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs.

Rose didn't want to open her eyes; she just wanted to know that he was all right. "Doctor," she mumbled, the word barely forcing its way out of her mouth. She heard footsteps grow nearer to her side, and the Doctor's distinct smell enveloped her in comfort.

"I'm right here, Rose."

She forced herself to finally open her eyes, blinking over and over and over again before her vision was almost normal. Though she still felt dizzy, she tried to ignore it and find the Doctor.

There he was, at her side, his expression expectant. He looked unharmed, apart from his neck, which stood out a bright red. Rose managed to smile at him, and he smiled back, the first time he had done so since she had seen him after those empty years.

"There she is," he said, the grin still spread across his face, "the girl who never gives up." He put a hand on her cheek, his thumb caressing her skin with a gentle touch. "You saved both of our lives."

It seemed like every wall between them had dissolved, but what he had said to her on the sidewalk came back to Rose, and she frowned. "Did you mean it?" she asked.

Somehow, he seemed to know exactly what she was talking about. His brow dipped down and he shook his head, his lips pursed slightly. "No."

"Then why did you say it?"

"You were right. I didn't want you to get hurt, but I knew you would still come. It was the only thing I knew to do." A small smile crept back onto his face. "And you came back anyway. Good thing, too. I'm out of practice with stopping aliens."

Rose smiled at him again and chuckled. "How long was I out?"

"Not long. An hour, just about. Though, I don't know how long I was out for."

"Your heart wasn't beating."

"Only stalled by the electricity," he stated in his matter-of-fact manner, withdrawing his hand to cross his arms over his chest. "I suppose that you used the portal to send them to the other universe?"

Rose nodded. "I just hope that they don't cause trouble there."

"Oh, they won't be any trouble. Portals tend to destroy anything electronic, and those watches turned out to be what created the electricity that they used. I attached the one I took to the generator to power it, but then they found me, and..." He nodded. "You know the story from there." The Doctor paused, and titled his head to the side just a little bit. "If the portal opened, why didn't you leave? Haven't you been working on it for years?"

Rose thought back to the moment the portal opened. The thought of jumping in with them hadn't even crossed her mind. "I didn't even think about it; it just sort of...happened."

The Doctor nodded. "I have to go now..." He must have seen her expression fall, because he quickly added, "...but I'm coming back. That is, if you want me to."

Her smile must have been enough of a confirmation, because he continued, "Just have to get a few things from my flat, that's all. My plane leaves in twenty minutes. Get some rest, and I'll be back soon." He winked at her, stood up, and walked past Mum, who had silently reentered the room. At the door he paused and looked back to give her a reassuring smile.

"How are you?" asked Mum, rushing to Rose's side as soon as the Doctor was out of sight. She pressed a cool cloth against her arm and then her neck, which stopped the burning for a few moments.

"I'm fine, Mum. Just tired, that's all."

"I'll let you get some more sleep then. Call me if you need anything."

"All right. Love you, Mum."

"I love you, Rose."

Mum turned out the lights as she exited, leaving the door open so that there was just a small crack. After a few moments of excited thoughts about the Doctor returning, Rose drifted off into a deep sleep. She dreamed of her adventures with the Doctor, and it seemed like only a very brief time until she opened her eyes to the darkness of her room. The sound of the TARDIS from her dreams resounded in her ears, seeming so real that it could have been right outside her door.

Rose had just enough time to blink and stretch before someone pushed open her door. By the lithe and tall frame she knew it was the Doctor immediately, and sat up in her bed.

"Good," he murmured, leaving the door ajar and standing just inside. "You're awake."

"How'd you get in?" she mumbled sleepily.

He smiled and held up a silver key. "Under the mat. I used to live here, you know."

Rose smiled. "How long have you been gone?" It seemed to her that she had only been asleep for a couple hours at the most, but she _had_ been unconscious.

"As much time as it takes to for a round trip from London to Glasgow," he responded, matching her quiet volume.

"That's why you have the accent. Why did you move to Scotland?"

He shrugged. "Why not?" Then he held out his hand to her. "I have a surprise for you."

Rose glanced at the clock next to her bed. "At one o' clock in the morning?"

"There's nothing wrong with one o' clock," he argued, almost sounding injured that she had insulted the time.

She shook her head but took his hand anyway. She almost expected him to just tug on her hand and drag her along like he had done so many times, but instead he took his time helping her up, making sure she was stable as she stood. "Do you think you'll be able to make it out front?"

"I think so..."

The Doctor took her hand in his with a firm grip. "I won't let you fall," he promised.

"Should I leave a note for Mum?"

"No need. Trust me. This will take no time at all. Come on! Allons-y!" He was almost vibrating with excitement as he led Rose down the stairs and to the front door. With his hand on the handle, the Doctor looked at her in all seriousness.

"You have to close your eyes when we go outside. I'll be holding onto you the whole time," he assured her, lifting up their joined hands.

"All right..." Rose squeezed her eyes shut like the Doctor had instructed.

"No peeking," he warned.

She heard the front door open with a tiny squeak, and she took one step on to the gravel driveway. The stones crunching underneath her feet, Rose took slow steps, following wherever the Doctor pulled her. After a short walk, he stopped. Rose did likewise, using her senses to try to discover what this 'surprise' was. However, even after racking her brains to think of what it could be, she came up empty-handed. It would really be a surprise, after all.


	10. Chapter 10

"Okay, Rose," said the Doctor, his voice drenched with anticipation and edginess, "you can open them."

The first thing that assaulted Rose's vision was a deep blue color. She stared at it for a moment, not comprehending. Then she tilted her head to the top of the object, and read "Police Public Call Box."

Rose took a step back and gasped. "It can't be!" And yet there it was; the TARDIS, same as always. She glanced next to her at the Doctor, who wore a bright smile as he watched her. He laughed, and Rose joined in, still unbelieving. She remembered him constructing the growth chamber, but she wondered how he had moved it from place to place.

"But how-"

"When I moved, the TARDIS was still small enough to move with me, though I had to disassemble the growth chamber. I kept her in an old unused warehouse right by my flat in Scotland. I forgot about her for a while, but when I went back to see her tonight she was unharmed and fully grown."

"That's why you left," Rose realized with a smile, "And you really weren't gone for long at all."

He winked at her and nodded, his smile huge and bright. "Oh yes."

"But how does it look the same?"

"I just took a trip back to the 1960s and broke the same thing in the TARDIS that I did last time. Good thing they still had police boxes in this universe. Couldn't go on without the same old TARDIS, could we?" He gestured to the door of the spaceship and time machine with his free hand. "Are you ready to see the inside?"

Rose nodded. The Doctor let go of her hand, and she pushed open the door with the same old familiar creak. Unable to keep a smile off of her face, Rose walked into the new TARDIS.

The Doctor kept his eyes on Rose as she took in the inside of the TARDIS, not wanting to miss a second of her reaction. She stared at it all in awe, her eyes wide. She opened her mouth a couple times as if to say something, but no words came out.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" asked the Doctor, admiring it himself. The wide tube running down the center of the TARDIS bathed a soft blue light over the circular control panel. The floor was almost like some sort of milky white glass; it seemed translucent at first glance, but was really opaque and thick like a stone would be.

"It's- It's-" Rose just shook her head, still seeming to be amazed beyond words.

"Bigger on the inside?" the Doctor suggested.

Rose looked over at him and smiled. "Yes. A lot bigger." She proceeded to walk around the TARDIS at a slow walk, as if she didn't want to miss one detail. She stopped when she reached him, and looked up at him with her eyes full of hope. "Are we going to travel again like we used to?"

"Only if you want. Or we could stay here and live an ordinary life. Up to you."

Her eyes widened. "You would stay here with me?"

The Doctor smiled. There were no words to convey his devotion to her. He would follow her anywhere. He reached out and took her hand, feeling a sort of wholeness as she interlaced their fingers. "Rose, I will never leave you again. And that's a promise."

A huge grin spread across her face. After a few seconds, her brow furrowed. "Do you want to travel again?"

"'Course I do. It's just how it should be; the Doctor and Rose Tyler in the TARDIS." The Doctor measured her stoic expression, trying to keep his face void of emotion. He couldn't believe that it was actually happening; he was going to travel through time and space again with Rose Tyler. It was perfect, like he had dreamed a million times since he had left.

After a minute, the Doctor let his huge, joyful smile break through, and opened his arms wide, breaking their hold. Rose jumped into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around him. The Doctor had ached to hold her in his arms again for so long, and he relished the moment, picking her up and spinning her around. After a good, long moment, he let go and smiled at her.

"So," said the Doctor as he approached the control panel, "where are we off to?"

"Me?" She followed him to the swiveling chair in front of the controls and sat down in it with a huff. A huge yawn followed, but Rose shook her head as if trying to shake off drowsiness.

"I'm not the one who knows all about time and space."

"Oh, but Rose, I know just about as much as you do now. Well, except for the few books I studied in Scotland, and those weren't much help. These humans are ahead of the other universe, but not much." He continued to switch the controls to be ready for takeoff, the system coming back to his memory as it had earlier that night. "But now we have the chance to discover a whole new universe, where all of time and space is-"

The Doctor paused, his hand on a lever. Was the whole of time and space unexplored? Or was he not alone? The time lords were gone in the other universe, but here...

"The time lords," he murmured out loud. "Rose, I-" But as he looked up at her, he saw her head down, chin resting against her collarbone. Her chest moved in and out at a steady rhythm, and her legs were limp as they dangled off the chair.

The Doctor smiled to himself. He had given her next to no time to rest, when she should be able to sleep for hours to gain back her strength. She certainly deserved it, after all the excitement, good and bad, she had just undergone in the past two days.

He approached the chair with muted footsteps, and, being as gentle as he could, picked her up in his arms, letting her head rest against his chest. To his surprise, she didn't even stir as she was moved.

The Doctor carried her from the main control room and into the first hallway. The floor was the same as in the other room, but a red light shone up from underneath and created patterns all over the low ceiling. The Doctor paused at the first door he came to, and it slid open sideways. A soft glow emanated from the ceiling in the new room, as if the TARDIS knew that one of its occupants need rest.


	11. Chapter 11

Finally the Doctor laid Rose down on the bed in the room, pulling the blankets over her sleeping form. She looked so peaceful and carefree. She had nothing to worry about; in fact, neither of them did. No enemies yet, apart from the Khals, no losses to grieve over, no worlds to save...

At least not yet.

"A whole new universe to explore," he said as he placed a hand on her cheek. "Oh, Rose Tyler, what adventures we'll have."

The Doctor smiled at her, and then drew away from the bedside. He began to walk away, already imagining their travels through time and space. Never again would he have to bear the loss of companions he had caused so much pain to and carry the burden of their sorrows. He would never have to worry about losing the ones he loved to Time, the cruel destroyer of all. One lifetime. The Doctor and his constant companion.

_The Doctor and his wife. _

The joyful thought crept into the Doctor's mind, and he paused halfway across the room. He reached inside his jacket pocket, the coolness of the metal ring inside assuring him it had not been lost. A distant memory came to mind, one which he had not fully recalled in a long time.

"Here," the Doctor said in a hushed tone, tossing a tiny glittering object to the Meta-Crisis Doctor.

He looked down at the silver wedding band, inlaid with some sort of jewel, and then glanced up at the Doctor in question. "What's this for?"

"I'm sure you'll use it before I would." He eyed the ring as the Meta-Crisis Doctor held it in the light. "As you know, there was a time when I thought I would need it...but that story was impossible before it even began."

"But why-?" The Meta-Crisis Doctor wondered why he would need the ring more than the Doctor, but as he looked into the eyes of the time lord, his intentions became very clear. "Oh." The Meta-Crisis Doctor clenched the ring in his fist, his heart already breaking for Rose. "Why would you do that to her? She worked so hard just to get back to you."

"Not only me. You, too. You are me. I'm not doing this because of her, though it will be better for her in the end." His gaze turned darker. "I'm doing this because of-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Rose walked into the control room with a bright smile, Jackie and Donna trailing behind her. The Meta-Crisis Doctor closed his fist around the ring.

"Where are we going?" Rose asked. "You'll see." The Doctor smiled, but behind it the Meta-Crisis Doctor could see pain and loss already evident on his features. He looked back at the Meta-Crisis Doctor seriously. "Don't lose it."

He nodded and put the ring inside his jacket pocket. Rose looked at him with her eyebrows raised, but said nothing. The Doctor pulled a lever on the control panel, and as the TARDIS lurched, the Meta-Crisis Doctor knew that it was taking them to Bad Wolf Bay.

The Doctor frowned at the memory. How could the other Doctor have handled leaving Rose a second time? Would he always mourn her on the inside, the pain of the loss ever-present as he continued his journeys throughout time and space?

Being the Doctor, it was an easy answer. _Always._

He turned back toward Rose and carefully gripped the ring between his fingertips. It had been forgotten for quite some time, buried under the bed in his flat. But before he had left, he had stumbled upon it and decided that it might be a good idea to carry it around.

The Doctor brought the wedding band to eye level, smiling as he watched Rose's peaceful and beautiful form through the ring. "Soon," he murmured as he tucked it back in its place. "Soon."


End file.
